


Harmony

by smiles2go



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV), NCIS
Genre: Alien Invasion, Alternate Universe, Gen, Horror, OOC, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-03-29 12:56:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13927578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smiles2go/pseuds/smiles2go
Summary: Tony was eight when the alien came to him. It promised to heal him and he welcomed it.   When they came in the billions, most people didn't see it that way.





	Harmony

 

 

 Harmony

  
  


In a cold, dark mansion on Long Island, eight year old Anthony DiNozzo Jr. lay at the bottom of the basement steps sobbing in pain. His head was pounding and his cheek felt funny. He knew his leg was broken, it hurt more than trying to breathe.  He wondered if he would die this time. His mother had died a couple months ago and his father had been in a drunken rage since then. He missed his mother.  He wondered where his father was; it felt like forever since he’d flung him down the stairs and slammed the door in a fit of anger.

Tony’s eyes had almost adjusted to the darkness when a giant, bright snowflake drifted down through the ceiling and came to rest a couple feet above him. It was like the huge Christmas ornaments Jackson had put on the outside trees last year, except it was somehow alive and looking at him.  

He blinked up at it and wondered if the pictures were wrong and this is what angels looked like.  It felt peaceful and gentle and wanted to help.  It would help him, heal him and make him _more_ , if only he would invite it in. It could do nothing from outside.

Tony DiNozzo, an eight year old in unimaginable pain, made the only choice he could.

 

* * *

 

 

Tony was sitting at the kitchen counter, absently kicking the stool and eating cheerios the next morning when his father slammed into the kitchen looking for coffee.  He stopped and stared and blinked but never said a word.

Two hours later Tony was sitting in the back of the lawyer’s town car on his way to Rhode Island Military Academy.  He would not see his father again for many years.

 

* * *

 

 

“Mr. President, I’d like to say it’s an honor--” 

“Just get to the point. My aide said we’re about to be invaded by aliens? Is that right?” 

“Yes, well…er.  Yes.  At first we thought it was millions or perhaps billions of ships entering our solar system and heading toward earth.”  He gave a nervous laugh.  “But we were wrong.” 

For the first time, the President looked away from the muted TV on the wall and at the Scientist whose name he’d already forgotten, if he ever heard it.  “So we’re not about to be invaded?”  He gave a relived sigh. 

“Oh no, we totally are. It’s just they’re not ships. Now that they’re a bit closer we can see that the aliens are really small and shaped something like a snowflake; the biggest one isn’t more than a foot across.”  He’d been instructed not to use scientific jargon. Words of one syllable were best.  

“So we’re being invaded by midget aliens?”  The President gave a short laugh, shaking his head and reaching for his glass.  “So, why can’t we just destroy them? Shoot a rocket or something.” 

“Sir, I don’t think you understand.”  The Scientist took another step closer and wiped at the sweat beading up on his forehead.  “They aren’t in ships, they don’t need ships.  They don’t need spacesuits. They are somehow flying through the vacuum of space without any … any protection, any air or anything.”  He took a deep breath and looked away from the President’s frown.  “And we don’t have rockets that shoot that far.  Nothing we’ve tried seems to touch them.”  He took a step back when the President surged to his feet. 

“Are you telling me they have some kind of force field?”  The President closed his eyes and shook his head. Why did this have to happen now? He’d just been elected. All of his glorious plans down the drain. 

“No, Sir.”  The Scientist said slowly.  “It’s more like they’re not really there. Like they’re a hologram or a ghost.” 

“So.  You’re telling me we’re going to be attacked by midget ghost aliens? Have I got that right, Doctor?”  He slammed the glass down on the table and sank back down into the leather chair. “That’s what I’m supposed to tell the American public?” 

“Well Sir, we don’t really know if they are hostile or not. We haven’t been able to communicate with them.” 

“Fuck.”  He glanced back at the muted television. “When are these …” he waved a hand helplessly.  “... Arriving?” 

“Well, Sir. Um we … we, um did some backward projecting, checking satellite feeds and … well we think there’ve been some of these snowflakes coming through the atmosphere for the last forty years or so.  Not in great numbers, but still fairly steadily.”  He swallowed heavily and wondered how he got stuck with this.  The presentation before Congress with charts and pictures was next. At least then he wouldn’t be left alone with the President without any answers. 

“Forty years!  Why hasn’t anyone reported these snowflakes before now? What have they been doing?” 

“I… We don’t know, Sir.” 

“Do you know anything? Never mind. You didn’t answer the first question.  When?” 

“Oh. Oh, um, possibly four days or so before the main group arrives.  They sort of move around in clusters, clumping together then moving apart to form new groups.” 

“Four days? Four fucking days?”  The President looked for something to throw, something to smash.  “You’re telling me the world is going to end in four days?” 

The Scientist edged backwards to the door.  “Um. Well.  We really don’t know what’s going to happen.” 

“Get out! Get out and don’t come back until you’ve found a way to neutralize these invaders. And you damn well better find one!”  He didn’t bother to look up when the door slammed.  

“Frank, I don’t know what to say.”  The Vice President walked into the Oval Office.  “You’ll have to make some kind of announcement to the American public tonight.” 

“And tell them what? In four days the world’s gonna end, but don’t worry cause it’s only tiny holographic snowflakes and we don’t know if they’re hostile or not?” 

“Something like that.”  The VP shrugged and glanced at his watch.  “Truth usually goes over well. Your Press Secretary has an hour before the main presentation to put something together.” 

 

* * *

 

“Mr. President, the head of the Science Coalition from NASA is here for a quick briefing.” 

“Do they have any better news than yesterday?”  His voice was thick, uncaring; eyes never leaving the muted screen on the wall. He hadn’t slept. No one had slept.  Riots. Panic in the streets. People trying to escape. Doomsday prophets on every corner. “Anything that’s not already on TV?” 

“I don’t know sir. Would you like me to tell them to wait?” 

“No.”  He sat up and rubbed his face. Pushing the bottle and empty glass aside, he took a deep breath and waved them in.  “From what I understand, we don’t have all that much time left.” 

It was a different scientist, an older woman this time. 

“Well?  Have you discovered how to stop them?”  He asked tersely. 

She shook her head and frowned at him.  “Nothing works.  We’ve intercepted several entering the atmosphere and nothing… nothing touches them.  They don’t respond, slow down or even appear to see us. Or rather see any of a dozen jets scrambling at them.  One even went completely thru a small group of them. The Air Force can’t explain that.” 

The President looked up. That was new. 

She shook her head.  “I saw the video.  It was like nothing happened.  The pilot reported no contact with his jet, yet the tape clearly shows it should have impacted a dozen of them.” 

The President sighed and rubbed at his face.  “Where did they go? Was the pilot able to follow them to the ground?  Do we have them contained?” 

“They dropped into Chinese airspace where our jets cannot follow.”  She fought to keep her face blank.  Satellite eyes were on them, for all the good it was doing. 

“Well at least we aren’t the only ones being targeted.” 

“No, Sir.  The whole earth is being blanketed in them. Whatever they are.  We’ve seen...”  She paused hesitantly. 

“Seen what?”  He looked away from the muted tv.  “What have you seen?” 

“We’ve seen… via satellite… we’ve seen… well it looks like they just disappear inside a person.” Her face twisted up in disgust. 

“That sounds … are they infecting people? Possessing them?  What happened next?”  Years of practice kept his face calm, but inside his instincts were screaming at him to run, to hide, to get the hell out of there. 

“The infected people fall down unconscious for at least an hour. The longest was nearly four hours. Someone called an ambulance and took that person away. Others got up and walked away on their own. No one who tried could wake them during that time.  They appeared to be the same as before.  There was only one case where did it seem as if the group saw the Snowflake enter.”  She paused and looked down at her hands twisting together.  “The majority of those people ran. The one person who stayed with the victim dragged them into a car and eventually drove away. So, no, there doesn’t seem to be any outward changes. Yet.” 

“Not robots or zombies?”  He chuckled mirthlessly.  “Why couldn’t it be a zombie apocalypse?  At least people have heard of those. Can we blame this on a bio-terrorism attack?" 

“I don't think so, Sir. I have people watching for others. We have recorded three in the last two hours here in the US.  So far the people appear to be acting normal. They get up, go home, and go to work.  Nothing changes in their daily life. No one around them seems to be able to tell they’re different. The good news is we’ve recorded a slight difference in the body’s biochemistry.  We can tell who is and who is not infected.” 

If she wanted praise, she would be disappointed. 

“Get that info to the Joint Chiefs.  We’ll go hunting today. Send my aide in on your way out.” 

After she left, he called for his aide to move faster. 

“Tell Bowden I don’t care what he does or who he sends I want at least one of those infected people apprehended by morning. Have them brought to the bunker. We need better information.’’   The President went to the cabinet for another bottle.  “And get my wife in the bunker today. I want it locked down by noon tomorrow.” 

“Yes, Sir.”  The aide blanched. 

 “Do we know what the Russians are doing?” 

“No sir, they aren’t answering.”

 

* * *

 

 

Handcuffed and shackled, Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo was shoved into a metal folding chair facing the President and Joint Chiefs.  There were others whispering in the back, but he couldn’t really see with one eye swollen shut.  He wiggled around trying to get comfortable, knowing there was no way out of this.  His beautiful new Armani suit was covered in blood.  Gibbs’ blood.  

Oh God. He couldn’t believe what had happened.  Gibbs was gone, shot in the back and left lying on his own living room floor in a pool of blood. They’d stopped to get steaks on the way home. Vance had been hiding in the kitchen, neither of them had a chance.  Groceries flung across the floor. He only had snapshots of memory. Nothing like a rifle butt in the face to get your attention. 

There would be no rescue.  He rubbed at his bleeding nose and lip as best he could reach with one sleeve.  He hoped McGee and Bishop were all right. 

“Tell us about this alien you’re infected with, tell us how to kill them. Tell us the truth this time.” 

Tony looked around and squinted at the speaker. No one he recognized. “Nice bunker you got here. Won’t help much.” 

“Shut up and answer the question.”  Tony grunted from the hard poke of a rifle barrel. His bruises had bruises. 

“You can’t handle the truth!”  Tony stomped his feet.  “Yes! I never thought I’d be able to use that one! _A Few Good Men_. 1992, directed by Rob Reiner. Jack Nicholson plays -- ooomphf!”  Tony and the chair went over in a heap. It took four marines to get them untangled and Tony back on the chair.  “All right. All right. Just trying to lighten things up a bit.” 

“One more movie quote and you’ll get a matching bullet hole in your right arm.”  Oh yeah, he’d almost forgotten that.  After Vance shot Gibbs and the marines stormed his house, they’d had to pry him away from Gibbs’ body.   

“Answer the fucking question before we decide you’re not worth the trouble.” 

“Fine!” Tony coughed. “I became aware of them same time as you did.”  He rubbed at his face again.  “Can I get some water?” 

Someone threw a bottle of water that hit his lap and rolled off onto the floor before he could grab it.  “Thanks,”   he said sarcastically. 

“Just answer the question.”  A different voice. 

“When my mother died, my father turned into a mean drunk.  I was eight--” 

“We don’t care about your pitiful life history, DiNozzo. Tell us about the alien.” 

“Well I’m trying to, but you just can’t seem to shut --” A marine cuffed him up the side of the head and ordered him to show some respect. 

“Wait.”  The President held up his hand. “Are you saying you were infected when you were eight years old?”  Tony nodded and ignored the muttering and outraged glances.   “If they’ve been here that long, why haven’t more people been infected?” 

“So you’re some kind of sleeper alien? Meant to come online when the rest of them get here?” someone from the back interrupted. “What are your orders?” 

“Orders?  My father beat the crap out of me and tossed me down the stairs.   I dunno why I didn’t die that time or the dozen times before that.”  He rubbed at his nose again; the dripping blood was driving him crazy.   

“DiNozzo!” 

“I thought it was a giant snowflake or maybe a funny looking angel.  I thought I was dreaming. It never said a word, but somehow offered to make me stop hurting.  Of course I said yes.”  He looked around and grinned at them.  “I’m sure all the other abused and hurt kids said yes too.” 

They broke into muttering and outright shouting. Tony dropped his head and took some deep breaths. 

 _‘Tony are you ok?’_  

 _‘Spence. No, I’m not ok.  Vance shot Gibbs in the back and handed me to SECNAV on a silver platter. I’m in some bunker being interrogated by the President and all his brass. Not sure if they want to interrogate me or kill me. Dissection isn’t off the table either.  Are you ok?’_  

 _‘I’m with my team. So far so good. The main Seed groups are almost here. Hang on and we’ll get you out of there.’_  

“DiNozzo!”   

 _‘I’m not holding any hope of getting out of here alive. Hey, I’ve had a great life. That’s more than some. Tell the others to be very careful. People are terrified and … and it’s not good. Take care of yourself Spencer Reid.’_  

 _‘I’m sorry it turned out this way. I...’_  

 _‘Yeah, me too.’_  

 _‘It’s not fair!’_  

 _‘Spence. Spence. You of all people know life isn’t fair.’_  

 _‘It should be. It will be.’_  

 _‘Yeah. I really wanted to see that.’_  

 _‘Tony….’_  

“DiNozzo!”   

“What!”  Tony lifted his head and glared at them. He knew his eyes, well his one good eye, was moist, but he wouldn’t cry.  Not in front of these assholes. 

“DiNozzo! You’re a federal agent.  It was your duty to inform your superiors what was going on and how to defeat this invasion. You’re nothing but a traitor.” 

“Why? So I could get shot in the back like my boss? He wasn’t a threat or implanted.  He didn’t know anything about this.” he said insolently.  “Besides, I’m sure you’ve already tried to destroy them and failed.”  He shook his head.  “So many good movies, down the drain.” 

“Wait.” The President held his hand up again.  Tony rolled his one good eye and sighed.  “What you said before. Every abused kid is carrying one of these aliens around?” 

 Tony waited for the inevitable shouting to die down. 

“No!” SECDEF shouted.  “That’s a lie!” 

Tony leaned forward so he could look into the man’s eyes.  He was silent for a moment or two.  “I’m sorry Julian. No one should have to go through that.” 

“I’m not infected!”  SECDEF stood up and spit out the words.  “I’m not!” 

“No,” Tony agreed.  “Sometimes a kid is too damaged and starts abusing others.  They aren’t … compatible.  How’s your little brother?  Jeffrey isn’t it?” 

SECDEF sat down suddenly and glared at everyone staring at him.   

“So, to be clear, there are possibly hundreds of people already infected with these aliens?  Kids who were abused?” 

“Hundreds?” Tony laughed shortly and rolled his good eye heavenward.  “You think there were only hundreds of abused kids around the world in the last forty or so years? Really? Are you all that stupid? Or blind?” 

“What are you saying?” someone in the back shouted. “You’re not making any sense.” 

“I’m saying there are kids who chose life and help from the only place it was offered!” Tony shouted.  “None of you did anything to stop it. Not even you SECDEF.  You did nothing!” 

“And so you betrayed your country, your planet.”  SECNAV curled his lip. 

“You expect a little kid too broken to get up off the floor to understand that?  A toddler shaken until it can’t breathe?  A nine year old raped because someone thought it might be a cure for aids?  Crack babies left in a dumpster? Little kids sold to pedophiles?”  Tony shook his head.  “It was your job to save them and you didn’t.  You didn’t even try.” 

There was a short silence and the shouting started again. 

“There must be a way to kill them. We will not fail! Earth cannot fall.” 

“You don’t seem to understand. Earth _has_ fallen.” Tony said. “Nothing can kill them. They’re not … they’re made of energy.  You can no more touch them than you can hold clouds, or smoke or the wind.” 

“You’re lying! You traitor!” a man in back screamed and pulled a gun.  Luckily the people around him wrestled him to the ground before anyone was hurt. 

“So we’re all supposed to sit here and wait for them to take over our minds? Become good little enslaved aliens? Maybe we should hold hands and sing Kumbayah while we’re waiting.”  The Secretary of State finally had something to say.   

“You? You think they want you?”  Tony laughed mirthlessly.  “You’re so full of hate and rage and paranoia. Who would want to live in your head?”  His lips twisted mockingly.  “They aren’t here to take over where you left off. You’re not gonna be some puppet.”  He shook his head and tried to concentrate, but he was in so much pain. “You have a choice.  They give you a choice. Their goal is peace. There will be peace. Harmony.” 

“I’d rather die!”  SECDEF stood up and shouted.  Others shouted their agreement. 

“That’s the choice?” the President asked.  “Accept or die?  What kind of choice is that?” 

Tony was so tired and his throat hurt and he knew they’d shoot him in the end anyway.  He just wanted it to be over.  He sent a thought of regret to his Seed.   

“Why do you think there are so many dead already?” he whispered, letting his head fall forward again.   “They said no.” How could anyone say no to peace? 

“So it’s over.”  The President sighed.  “We’ve lost our first and last alien invasion.” 

Tony lifted his head and cocked it to the side. 

“I hope you all agreed with the choice to die.”  He smiled slightly.  “For your families and anyone else in this bunker.” 

“What are you talking about? What’ve you done?”  The Secretary of State looked around.  His family, his grandchildren, were on the next level. 

“Me?”  Tony snorted and held up his handcuffed hands.  “I haven’t had a chance to do anything but sit here.  Mr. President on the other hand…”  He smiled grimly.  “Well, he just authorized the activation for the self-destruct on this little bunker of yours.   In twelve minutes … DING! DING! Game over.” 

More shouting and Tony shook his head and waited.   

“At least we’ll take one of you bastards with us!”  SECNAV pointed a small handgun at Tony. 

He let his head fall back.  “Kill me and you only kill the host.  Before, after or during detonation, the Seed will just float out.”  He lifted his hands to mimic flying. 

“Seed? You called it a seed? Is it some kind of --” 

SECNAV growled and shot Tony, emptying the clip into his body. “At least we’ll kill one traitor.”   

They all watched in silence as his body jerked, then slid to the floor.  Then the shouting started again.   Most checked their watches and eyed the door. 

The shouting stopped as the Seed floated out of Tony’s body.  Many guns were drawn and bullets fired, but nothing made a difference.  When clips were empty, it floated from one side of the room to the other. 

Then it lifted up toward the ceiling heading for the sky.

 

* * *

 

 

Reid and Garcia huddled on the couch in Hotch’s office while Morgan muttered under his breath and paced back and forth in the small room. Occasionally he stopped and pulled the blinds apart to look outside, his other hand firmly on his holstered gun. 

“When are Hotch and Rossi coming back?”  Garcia asked softly. They’d learned anything louder set Morgan off. 

“Don’t know,” Morgan said shortly without looking around.  “When the Director understands we can’t profile something we don’t know anything about I guess.” 

“I don’t --” 

There was a commotion out in the bullpen and they all three crowded forward to watch one of the aliens drift down through the ceiling and hesitate before disappearing inside a woman.   She slumped to the floor and everyone rapidly backed away from her.   

“No!  This isn’t happening! Pam!”  Agent Rourke quickly pulled his gun and double tapped the body. “She wouldn’t have wanted… she… “ he took a deep breath and glared at the people gaping at him.  “Wouldn’t you rather be dead than an alien puppet? One of you better shoot me if… well, if.” 

No one answered him and Reid followed the other two out on the balcony.  Garcia pushed both hands over her mouth to keep from screaming. 

“Damn right.”  Morgan nodded.  “Don’t you guys worry, I’ll do the same for you if one of those bastards gets you.”  His eyes glittered as he looked them up and down.  “I’ll take good care of you Baby Girl, Pretty Boy.” 

Garcia squeaked and backed into Reid.  “I don’t want to die,” she said around her hands.  “This can’t be happening.” 

“Let’s get down there where everyone else is.”  Morgan motioned.  “There’s no point in waiting up here any longer.”  He waited until Reid started down the stairs, Garcia close on his heels. 

Reid went to his desk and sat down. This was not how it was supposed to be.  He knew there would be plenty of deaths, that fact never changed in all his projections, but for people to be killing each other…  He sighed and rubbed his forehead.   

“Spencer? What are we gonna do?”  Garcia had pulled a chair up close to his.  “I didn’t think I could get any more afraid, but Morgan’s giving me the willies,” she whispered, keeping an eye on Morgan.  “He’s still my chocolate Adonis, but there’s something seriously wrong with him!” 

“I know. He’s freaked out, panicked. Stay as far away from him as you can,” he whispered back.  He’d left his messenger bag up in Hotch’s office.  His gun was in that bag. He hadn’t thought he’d need it, but now…. Now maybe he should go up there and get it.  “Look I need to go back up for my bag.”  He touched her arm so she would look at him.  “Go lock yourself in your lair. Don’t open the door for anyone. Not anyone, you understand?”  She nodded frantically but didn’t stand up.  “Go on, I’ll distract Morgan.” 

She swallowed heavily and stood, smoothing down her dress.  “Ok.”  She nodded several times, eyes back on Morgan.  “I can do that. I can… Ok.”  She turned and shuffled away on those ridiculous heels. 

Reid saw Morgan start to turn at the movement and jumped up.  “Morgan, I left my bag upstairs. Did you lock Hotch’s door?”  Reid didn’t think he had, he was the first one out, but it might distract Morgan a moment.  “Do you have the keys?” 

“Whatcha need your bag for?” he asked suspiciously, turning to face Reid.  “Just wait until Hotch comes back.”  He dismissed Reid and looked after Garcia. 

“But I need my bag.”  Reid almost whined.  “My gun’s in there.” 

“Like you could shoot one of us.”  He chuckled.  “Where’s Garcia going? She should stay here so we know if one of those things gets her.” 

“She’ll surely be safe in the bathroom.”  Reid started toward the stairs up the Hotch’s office.   

“Stay here, Pretty Boy. You don’t need your gun.”  Morgan frowned and started to reach for Reid. “I said I’d take care of you.” 

“Hotch!”  Reid sidestepped him and raced to the glass doors, seeing Hotch and Rossi coming down the hall. 

“What’s wrong?”  Hotch held up his hand to stop Reid when it looked like he was going to plow into him.  “What’s happened?” 

“I… I need some fresh air.”  Reid shook his head.  He needed to get away from the team, especially Morgan.  “Morgan has gone insane. He’s going to ‘take care’ of us.” 

“It’s not safe outside, Reid.” Hotch shook his head.  “You should stay here with the team.” 

“JJ is home with her family and who knows where Prentiss is.”  Reid started toward the stairwell door.  “It’s bound to be safer out there than it is in here.” 

“That boy gets weirder every day.”  Rossi shook his head and pushed open the glass doors.  “What are we gonna do Hotch? What are we gonna tell ‘em?” 

“Doesn’t seem like we can do much of anything.”  Hotch sighed.  “Make your peace with God isn’t much help.” 

Reid was almost up to the next floor when the fire door opened behind him.  He jerked around, hand going to his missing gun. 

“It’s just me.”  Garcia grabbed the railing and started up after him.  “I don’t want to be alone.”  Having trouble with the heels, she kicked them off and was able to catch up easily.  “Let me stay with you Spence.  I’ll be quiet.” 

“I’m going to the roof.  I can’t… I --” 

“I can’t be around Morgan right now either.”   She grabbed his arm and started pulling him up.  “Come on, it’s only six more flights.” 

“Alright.  You’re probably safer away … safer with me.” 

“Just don’t leave me alone,” she begged.  “I’m so scared. I don’t wanna die.” 

“Nothing to be afraid of.”  Garcia gave him an incredulous look.  “Well ok, there are a few things. Don’t worry, I’ll take ... care of you.” He laughed shortly.  “I won’t shoot you. See, no gun.” 

Finally at the top, he pulled out his lock pick kit and got to work. 

He’d been on the roof before, taken a few minutes here and there to calm his mind with the silence and stars.  They were high enough that the noise was muted, but now sirens screamed, car alarms never stopped, helicopters rushed by, and those were just the sounds he could readily identify.  It was still better than the bullpen. And Morgan.  He winced every time he heard a gunshot. 

He kept one arm around Garcia and looked for a place to sit. When he found a vent flat enough to sit on, he settled Garcia first and draped his jacket around her shoulders. It wasn’t cold, but she was shivering and quieter than usual. He kept one eye on the rooftop door. He’d locked it behind him, but there was a chance Morgan would find them up here, hunting Garcia. And him too, of course.     

“I’m really scared, I…” she said softly looking out over the roof.  She held his jacket closed with one hand and the other moved restlessly underneath. “I don’t want to die.” Her voice came out as a low wail. “There’s so much more I want to see, to do.” 

“Shhh. It’s gonna be ok. I promise.” Putting his arm around her shoulder, he tugged her close for a quick hug.  “I won’t let anything hurt you.” 

“But… _Aliens_.”  Her hand came out from underneath the jacket and waved at the sky which was starting to glow a bit.  “If scifi was going to become real, why couldn’t it be the Doctor? He’s nice.” 

“You remember my friend, Tony? When he was eight his father beat him to a pulp and threw him down the stairs.  They… The Seed healed him by morning. Broken leg, broken ribs, internal bleeding, etc etc etc.  It’s really going to be fine. I promise you.” 

“Seed? Like a plant seed?”  She shook her head.  “Does it… Did he say if it hurt?”   

“No, not at all.  You’ll fall into a deep sleep and that’s when the Seed heals anything wrong with you.  Things you might not even know were wrong. When you wake up, you’ll feel so much better.” 

“I’m … I just… I don’t…”  She took a shaky breath. 

“The world will be infinitely better, Penelope. There’ll be no more killing, no more children hurt and abused. There will finally be actual world peace. The human race will finally have achieved harmony.” 

“But so many people have already died.  The news said China used nukes and ended up killing millions of their own people. I wonder why no one has retaliated yet.” 

“We probably wouldn’t hear if they did.  Not now at any rate.  Look, people are scared and they don’t understand. They panic. Like Morgan.” 

“This is insane.  A week ago everything was fine. Now the world’s gonna end and I’m not ready. I don’t want to be anyone but me.” 

“It’ll be all right, you’ll see,” Reid said absently, looking up at the snowflake rapidly heading their way. “You’ll still be you. Seed have no personality, they’ll take on yours.” 

Garcia squeaked and huddled closer to Reid. He followed her eyes to the door.  The handle rattled ominously. They heard a muffled shout and it seemed the whole door shuddered in its frame. 

Reid begged the Seed to select people like Morgan first, before they killed the rest of them. 

The handle shook again. Garcia made a tiny noise in her throat and hid her face against Reid’s neck. 

* * *

 

After Implantation was complete, the Seed evaluated the planet closely. There were some serious issues, but nothing they couldn’t overcome. In time this would be a beautiful garden.

 

 

 

 

fin

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe I killed Tony. I love Tony.  
> This winter has lasted too long and I've decided to hate snow... and snowflakes.
> 
> I tried to make the President and his staff jerks. I think I succeeded. No relation to the current or any past Presidents or staff.
> 
> Beta'd by the lovely Brumeier. Any mistakes are all mine.
> 
> I don't own anything.


End file.
